Recipe 55: Tostada Bowls + Homemade Taco Seasoning

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, I’m bringing you a recipe that’s simple and extremely tasty! Not to mention, pretty healthy given the ingredients.

The basic idea is that small (6-7″ across) flour tortillas are wedged between cups on an upside-down muffin tin and filled with dried beans (to weigh them down). The tortillas are baked for a handful of minutes and BOOM, perfectly crispy and shapely tostada bowls. No oil, lard, or complex equipment necessary!

1 cup dried Beans (no matter what kind, we’re using them as “weights” for the shells)

Process:

Combine your chicken with the taco seasoning and a squeeze of lime and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350F and bust out the muffin tin. Flip it over and wedge 3 tortillas between the cups so they make “stars”. If you have a standard tin, you should be able to do 3 at a time. (See the pictures). Add a handful of beans to hold them down, and pop into your oven for about 5 minutes, or until the shells start to brown around the edges.

Remove tostada bowls and carefully flick the driedbeans out (some may stick due to the moisture in the tortilla, but no worries). Allow to cool fully on a wire rack.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add a tsp of olive oil, and cook your minced garlic until very fragrant. Add your chicken and cover for 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, remove the lid and toss the chicken around with a spatula, allowing it to cook fully and develop a nice caramelized coat on the outside. Snag a piece or two to make sure it’s to your liking… ;)

Once the chicken is cooked, gather the rest of the toppings and pile them all into your tostada bowls. Get creative with these, the possibilities are endless and they’re small enough that you can have more than one without any guilt. ;)

Note: One of our cats, Goomba, loves to sit on top of her play tower and watch me as I cook. Every time. It’s like the most adorable cooking class of all time. O_O

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Miami LillyThis one is 5-star:***Taco Salad with Salsa Vinaigrette***3/4 cup finely chpoped onion1 large garlic clove, minced2 teaspoons ground cumin2 teaspoons chili powder1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional for frying the tortillas1 pound ground chuck2 tablespoons tomato pasteSix 7-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch triangles8 cups shredded romaine3 tomatoes, cut into wedges1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar1/3 cup thinly sliced scallionFor the vinaigrette:1 large garlic clove, chpoped3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil1 cup chpoped seeded tomato1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chpoped (wear rubber gloves)1/2 cup loosely packed fresh corianderIn a large heavy skillet cook the onion, the garlic, the cumin and the chili powder in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is soft, add the chuck, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, stirring, until the meat is cooked through. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool. In the skillet, cleaned, heat 3/4-inch of the additional oil to 375 degrees and in it fry the tortilla chips in batches for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until most of the bubbling subsides. Transfer the chips with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and sprinkle them with salt to taste. The tortilla chips may be made 1 day in advance and kept in an airtight container. On a large deep platter or in a large bowl arrange the romaine, spoon the beef mixture over it, and arrange the tortilla chips, the tomatoes, the Cheddar and the scallion decoratively over the salad.Make the vinaigrette: In a blender blend together the garlic, the vinegar, the lemon juice, the cumin, and salt and black pepper to taste, with the motor running add the oil in a stream, and blend the vinaigrette until it is emulsified. Add the tomato, the jalapeno pepper and the coriander and blend the vinaigrette until it is smooth. Transfer the vinaigrette to a small bowl and serve it with the salad or pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss the salad until it is combined well.